Our beloved Lions are currently tied for first in the NFC North and have a HUGE division game this weekend.

Please use this thread to discuss this weekend's game and all things related...

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November 5th, 2013, 9:50 am

TheRealWags

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Joined: December 31st, 2004, 9:55 amPosts: 12509

Re: Next up: Chicago Bears Part 2: Battle for NFC North

ESPN wrote:

Morning Roar: Back to even in the divisionNovember, 5, 2013By Michael Rothstein | ESPN.com

Good morning and ROOOOAAARRR!!!!!

So remember when Monday we mentioned the Lions, if the playoffs started then, wouldn't be in the postseason? Well, if the playoffs started Tuesday morning, the Lions would both be in and hosting a playoff game.

That's how tied up the NFC North is.

Detroit, Chicago and Green Bay are all tied at the top of the division at 5-3 -- the only division in the NFL with three teams with records better than .500 -- and by virtue of tiebreakers, the Lions would be the No. 3 seed this morning.

But that also places added importance on Sunday's game against Chicago. With Carolina hanging around in the South and Arizona still in the wild-card race in the West, every game the rest of the way becomes critical. That it is the Bears and a divisional game is even more important.

A win for the Lions on Sunday gives them the tiebreaker over the Bears no matter what happens because they would have swept them. So just something to keep an eye on this week.

The good news for Detroit -- the Lions aren't nearly as beat up as the other two teams. Aaron Rodgers injured his left shoulder Monday night. Jay Cutler missed Monday's game against Green Bay with an injured groin, but is going to try to play Sunday against Detroit.

Man, what a huge game this is next Sunday. I'll be there - my sister is giving my son & I her club seats a Christmas present!

Not going to make any predictions, other than to say that I think it will be another high-scoring contest, with the winner having made fewer mistakes (turnovers).

The Bears better spend some time this week practicing tackling! And you're welcome, for taking out Erin Rodgers - so someone else can have a turn at winning for a change. Stinking Packers. lol

November 5th, 2013, 12:23 pm

millam21

Pop Warner Allstar

Joined: October 30th, 2011, 8:16 pmPosts: 144

Re: Next up: Chicago Bears Part 2: Battle for NFC North

This couldnt work out better for us, truly. A beat up bears team beat and made a critical injury to the packers who couldve got a nice cushion with a win. If we beat Chicago this week and Aaron Rodgers is still hurt come thanksgiving, this is our division to lose. I don't believe I've ever been able to say that in my lifetime with a reasonable level a rational confidence

November 5th, 2013, 12:46 pm

m2karateman

RIP Killer

Joined: October 20th, 2004, 4:16 pmPosts: 10408Location: Where ever I'm at now

Re: Next up: Chicago Bears Part 2: Battle for NFC North

millam21 wrote:

This couldnt work out better for us, truly. A beat up bears team beat and made a critical injury to the packers who couldve got a nice cushion with a win. If we beat Chicago this week and Aaron Rodgers is still hurt come thanksgiving, this is our division to lose. I don't believe I've ever been able to say that in my lifetime with a reasonable level a rational confidence

I will say this...both teams last night struggled offensively, but were capable on the defensive side of the ball. What hurt Green Bay was the fact that Seneca Wallace just couldn't come off the bench cold and get it done. Now the Bears are saying that Culter could play Sunday against Detroit, and that can make a difference. Actually, McCown played pretty well last night and if the Lions have to face him it could be interesting. By the time the Lions play Green Bay, the Pack will at least have Clay Matthews back for their defense, but I have a feeling Aaron Rodgers is not going to be playing for them. However, by that time Seneca Wallace will have practiced plenty of time and have a better handle of the offense. The Chicago and Green Bay games won't be walk away victories for the Lions, regardless of who plays for the Bears and Packers. The Lions will still have to play their best football to win those games.

_________________I will not put on blinders when it comes to our QBs performances.

November 5th, 2013, 2:40 pm

TheRealWags

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Joined: December 31st, 2004, 9:55 amPosts: 12509

Re: Next up: Chicago Bears Part 2: Battle for NFC North

PFT wrote:

Nate Burleson returns to practice for the LionsPosted by Josh Alper on November 5, 2013, 12:22 PM EST

The Lions are getting back to work after their bye week and they’re doing it with a player who has been out of action for a lot longer than a week.

Wide receiver Nate Burleson has returned to the field for the first time since breaking his arm in a car accident that happened when Burleson tried to keep a pizza box from sliding off the passenger seat in late September. Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press reports that Burleson took part in individual drills, but was not part of either the first or second team when the Lions moved into an installation period.

Birkett also reports that coach Jim Schwartz said after practice that it is too early to say whether or not Burleson will be available when the Lions travel to Chicago in Week 10.

The Lions could certainly use Burleson’s help on offense after losing Ryan Broyles for the rest of the season. Kris Durham has provided some solid complementary work to Calvin Johnson, but the team currently has no other healthy wideouts who have made a significant contribution on offense this season. Adding Burleson for the stretch run would likely boost Detroit’s chances of making their way to the playoffs.

This couldnt work out better for us, truly. A beat up bears team beat and made a critical injury to the packers who couldve got a nice cushion with a win. If we beat Chicago this week and Aaron Rodgers is still hurt come thanksgiving, this is our division to lose. I don't believe I've ever been able to say that in my lifetime with a reasonable level a rational confidence

I will say this...both teams last night struggled offensively, but were capable on the defensive side of the ball. What hurt Green Bay was the fact that Seneca Wallace just couldn't come off the bench cold and get it done. Now the Bears are saying that Culter could play Sunday against Detroit, and that can make a difference. Actually, McCown played pretty well last night and if the Lions have to face him it could be interesting. By the time the Lions play Green Bay, the Pack will at least have Clay Matthews back for their defense, but I have a feeling Aaron Rodgers is not going to be playing for them. However, by that time Seneca Wallace will have practiced plenty of time and have a better handle of the offense. The Chicago and Green Bay games won't be walk away victories for the Lions, regardless of who plays for the Bears and Packers. The Lions will still have to play their best football to win those games.

I dont think they will be easy games, but theres no reason we shouldnt beat the bears. i wont be surprised if we lay an egg against them, just disappointed. The bears offense looked like it could move the ball against us, i wont deny that, but the way their defense played against a depleted packer offense should have the three pride leaders mouths drooling.

November 6th, 2013, 2:15 am

TheRealWags

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Joined: December 31st, 2004, 9:55 amPosts: 12509

Re: Next up: Chicago Bears Part 2: Battle for NFC North

PFT wrote:

Jay Cutler on return: We’ve got to be smartPosted by Josh Alper on November 5, 2013, 4:13 PM EST

Bears quarterback Jay Cutler set a goal of returning for Week 10′s game against the Lions and reports over the weekend put him in position to do just that.

On Tuesday, however, Cutler pulled back on the reins a bit. He didn’t say that he would miss a second game while recovering from a torn groin muscle, but he also didn’t say that he was ready to get back in uniform.

“Can’t tell you,” Cutler said on ESPN 1000, via the Chicago Tribune. “I wish I could say I’d be out there. But the way Josh [McCown] has been playing, we feel good. … We’ve got to be smart.”

Cutler said he won’t know how far he is in his recovery until he resumes practicing, so Wednesday should be a telling day in terms of his chances of playing.

With both the Bears and Lions at 5-3, it’s clearly a big game for playoff positioning in both the conference and the division. There are seven more right behind it, though, and they might all be meaningful as well. If holding Cutler back until he’s fully recovered gives the Bears a better chance of having him in the lineup for all of them, that’s the right route for them to take.

I hope that every Lions Player and coach watched that Monday night game. It showed us exactly where to attack both the Bears and the Packers.

The Bears got shredded up the middle by Packers RB's. They had no answer and could not stop the run game. Why the Packers ever even tried to pass is unexplainable.

The Packers DB's got torched continuously. They lacked the ability to cover Marshall and Jefferies. And they could not come up with a strategy to contain them. Why the Bears kept trying to run on them, it just wasn't getting them anywhere until the last drive of the game.

This week vs. the Bears: We need to pound them continuously with Bell and Bush. This is going to force them to bring both safeties up into the box at times. And when they do, CJ, Nate, and Durham will be wide open to go yard.

Thanksgiving vs GBay: We need to shoot the lights out deep on them early and often in the 1st half. And that should open the Running game up in the 2nd half.

Basically, if they were to merge, they would have 1 complete Defense.

November 6th, 2013, 12:53 pm

thelomasbrowns

Player of the Year - Offense

Joined: August 24th, 2010, 9:54 pmPosts: 2855

Re: Next up: Chicago Bears Part 2: Battle for NFC North

Guys, don't forget we basically blew out the Bears. Their defensive players are either banged up or just not very good. Their offense is solid with McCown but hardly world beating (I don't buy that Cutler will be back this week).

We can never take a victory at Soldier Field for granted, but there's no reason we shouldn't win this game.

_________________"Good teams don't worry about a whole lot of stuff. They travel, they play, they win. And it doesn't matter where they go, what the time block is, all those kinds of things. They never seem to bother teams that play well, and we want to be one of those teams." -Jim Caldwell

November 6th, 2013, 12:58 pm

m2karateman

RIP Killer

Joined: October 20th, 2004, 4:16 pmPosts: 10408Location: Where ever I'm at now

Re: Next up: Chicago Bears Part 2: Battle for NFC North

thelomasbrowns wrote:

Guys, don't forget we basically blew out the Bears. Their defensive players are either banged up or just not very good. Their offense is solid with McCown but hardly world beating (I don't buy that Cutler will be back this week).

We can never take a victory at Soldier Field for granted, but there's no reason we shouldn't win this game.

I'll give you two reasons why we could. Alshon Jeffrey and Brandon Marshall. Jeffrey has really come on this year, and Marshall has always been a good, if not great, player. If both of those guys are playing well, it will be a long day for our shaky secondary. We don't match up well against big, physical receivers. And the Lions can't just keep dropping guys back, because Forte will have a field day if the Lions do that. I would HOPE that if McCown is playing that the Lions dial up some blitzing to throw him off and create some mistakes. When he was pressured against Green Bay, McCown struggled, even though he completed some passes against the blitz. If Cutler plays, I think we have to be just a bit more conservative and do more standard four man rush. I don't think Cutler is even close to 100% mobility, and that will work in our favor. If Suh and Fairley can have another strong game against the Bears interior like they did in the first meeting this year, the Lions should be able to limit their offense. Our pass pressure needs to come from inside, because it won't come from the outside.

_________________I will not put on blinders when it comes to our QBs performances.

November 7th, 2013, 12:13 pm

DJ-B

Pro Bowl Player

Joined: April 5th, 2007, 5:51 pmPosts: 2578

Re: Next up: Chicago Bears Part 2: Battle for NFC North

I agree m2. I think Our offense is the more important part of controlling the game. I cant believe Im saying this about the Lions, but a heavy dose of Power running btween the tackles right at their weekend DT rotation could be big. I Hope to see lots of Bell. Mix some bush in thru the tackles and bouncing outside. Put them both in the backfield, call a run to Bell, if they stack the Line change play, flex Bush to slot, and make them pay. McClown or Cutler, the Bears O can be formidable agaisnt us if those 2 wide receivers are playing good. But if we win TOP and COntrol the ball and clock most of the game, we should win.

November 7th, 2013, 1:21 pm

TheRealWags

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Joined: December 31st, 2004, 9:55 amPosts: 12509

Re: Next up: Chicago Bears Part 2: Battle for NFC North

PFT wrote:

Jay Cutler returns to the practice field for BearsPosted by Darin Gantt on November 7, 2013, 12:28 PM EST

Bears quarterback Jay Cutler took a step toward a quick comeback, by stepping onto the practice field Thursday.

According to Jeff Dickerson of ESPNChicago.com, Cutler was back after a two-and-a-half week absence since tearing a groin muscle Oct. 20 against the Redskins.

He missed last week’s win at Green Bay, but if he gets through today and tomorrow, they’ve said he’ll start Sunday against the Lions.

Cutler was slow-playing things earlier this week, hedging on questions of whether he could return so soon. We’ll see how realistic it is after he gets through the practice, or whether Josh McCown gets a chance to build on Monday’s impressive outing against the Packers.

Ziggy Ansah’s chances of playing this week aren’t looking goodPosted by Josh Alper on November 7, 2013, 1:16 PM EST

The Bears are still trying to figure out who they’ll have starting for them at quarterback against the Lions this weekend, but it is looking increasingly likely that the Lions won’t have defensive end Ziggy Ansah chasing down whoever gets the nod for Chicago.

Ansah sprained his ankle in the Lions’ victory over the Cowboys in Week Eight and has not been able to participate in any of the team’s practices since returning to work off their bye this week. Ansah has recorded three sacks on the year, although none has come since early October and that fruitless stretch is mirrored by the Lions’ own inability to generate more than four sacks over the last four games.

Devin Taylor will likely start in Ansah’s place in the event Ansah can’t play. If he and the rest of the Lions can generate some pass rush, it will make life much easier on the Lions secondary and give them an important edge in this week’s battle for positioning in the NFC North.

Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press reports that cornerback Bill Bentley and tackle Corey Hilliard are also unlikely to be in the lineup for Week 10.

Coming off an upset victory over the Green Bay Packers on "Monday Night Football," the Chicago Bears face a short turnaround Sunday when they host the Detroit Lions, who are coming off a bye week with extra time to prepare.

Jay Cutler tossed three interceptions the last time these teams met, and the Lions scored on six consecutive possessions to seize a 30-10 lead in the second quarter en route to a 40-32 win. With sole possession of first place in the NFC North on the line, obviously the Bears hope for a different result this time around. But the Lions are hungry as they hold a share of the division lead for the first time in more than 10 years.

Michael C. Wright: It's been more than 10 years since the Lions were at the top of the division standings after the first half of the season. How is Detroit handling the success?

Michael Rothstein: They seem to be handling it fine thus far, but that could be because a lot of these guys haven't been around for a lot of the losing seasons. Plus, a lot of the guys who have been around in the past were on Detroit's playoff team in 2011. So they have seen some Lions success and not the consistent failure of the early to mid-2000s. There is also a confidence level about this team, something you saw two weeks ago in the final seven minutes against Dallas, which seems to be different than in prior years. This team believes it can win close games, and that in itself is a big difference.

Wright: The Lions incorporate tons of speed on offense, but what happens when they're on a slower track such as what they might encounter with the conditions at Soldier Field? Is there anything the Lions would try to do to counteract what might be a sloppy field?

Rothstein: It's slower for everyone, though, right? In all seriousness, I don't know how much they would do differently. Perhaps Detroit will use Joique Bell a little bit more out of the backfield instead of Reggie Bush, but that could be due to Bush potentially playing more in the slot Sunday depending on Nate Burleson's health. Detroit's offense won't change much. It'll still rely heavily on Matthew Stafford's ability to find open receivers, Calvin Johnson's ability to make big plays and Bush's capability to make plays in small spaces.

Wright: Nate Burleson recently returned to practice. But what's his status for Sunday? If he's available, what does he bring to the offense?

Rothstein: His status is completely questionable and likely will be until Friday. Burleson wants to play. He's been focused a lot on this week as a potential return date and he is practicing. But Detroit is going to be cautious with its No. 2 receiver because it doesn't want him to reinjure the arm by coming back too fast and taking a bad hit. Burleson's big thing now isn't conditioning -- he says he's in pretty good football form -- but learning how to fall and not use his arm to brace said falls. He could play Sunday, but Detroit is going to need him for the stretch run.

The Jay Cutler situation is obviously pretty fluid. How, if at all, does the Bears' offense change if he does not play?

Wright: It doesn't change much at all. In fact, the only difference in the offense would come down to a matter of personal preferences for McCown. The coaching staff includes the quarterbacks when putting together a game plan, and it always asks them which plays they think they could be more successful with. Obviously McCown and Cutler are different people with different preferences. So that would be the only change, schematically. In terms of overall play, McCown's arm isn't as strong as Cutler's. So he incorporates more anticipation in his game than the starter. McCown is decisive with the ball, makes smart decisions and won't take unnecessary risks, which is a little different than Cutler, who sometimes gambles and forces throws into coverage in part because of his confidence in his arm.

Rothstein: The last time Detroit saw Chicago, Lance Briggs was in the middle. How much has his absence shifted the defense from the last time the Lions saw the Bears?

Wright: Well, they've played only one game since Briggs fractured his shoulder Oct. 20 at Washington, and the defense on Monday night suffered through many of the same struggles they've gone through all season with the veteran in the lineup. The Bears now have two rookies in the starting lineup at middle linebacker in Jonathan Bostic (middle) and Khaseem Greene, who has taken over on the weak side for Briggs. Against the Packers the club struggled with gap fits against Eddie Lacy, who rushed for 150 yards. The pass rush improved a great deal, and the team finished with five sacks. But stopping the run has been a challenge. Surprisingly, the Bears are 3-1 this season when they allow a running back to gain 100 yards or more with the only loss under those circumstances coming to the Lions.

Rothstein: This has probably been somewhat forgotten, but Lions vice chairman Bill Ford Jr. called the Bears the "same bunch of thugs" earlier this season. Has that been mentioned at all? Does it matter?

Wright: It was mentioned by cornerback Tim Jennings in the aftermath of the last matchup, but it hasn't been since.

Asked about Ford's comments, Jennings said: "So he wants to call us thugs. We can take that as a compliment, I guess. We like to think we're playing nasty. But we play within the rules, you know? I don't know whether he's just meaning we're dirty or we're just a nasty defense. We weren't too nasty when we played them. So I don't know what he's trying to get out of it."

It's quite obvious these teams don't like one another, and surely the Bears want to atone for the 40-32 beatdown the Lions put on them in the first matchup. But my sense is with a short week of preparation, the Bears are focused and want to downplay any type of bulletin board material.